


3L1-ZA

by anesor



Series: Star Wars Snippets [22]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: AU, F/M, Fix-It, Trouble In Paradise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:47:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22825855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anesor/pseuds/anesor
Summary: Padme has had enough of the status quo after nearly three years of marriage.
Relationships: Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Series: Star Wars Snippets [22]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/930086
Comments: 12
Kudos: 77





	3L1-ZA

Anakin felt that he might have flown to 500 Republica without a speeder. _Force,_ he was tired and sore enough to glare his way through any reporters who tried to slow him down. Luckily, security around the large, Senatorial apartment complex reduced that problem. That, and the owners’ deep pockets for lawsuits. It did mean that only the occasional drone passed by when he landed his speeder on the pad.

Padmé was alone inside and not even in her work study.

He was grinning before he landed on the terrace tiles.

Once inside, he crossed to where she was sat on an elegant couch, padd in hand, to seize her in an embrace. “Angel! It seems like forever!”

Her smile was missing something, though her kiss had been as perfect as always. “Ani, you should have commed, what if I had visitors?”

“I _knew_ you were alone. That it was safe.”

“And if I was comming other Senators, or even other Jedi? You’re the one who insists we keep it so secret.” His lovely wife sounded cross.

Anakin’s face fell. “The Chancellor will help us. He wants to make me a Master, then I can change things...”

Padmé went from cross to hurt and she turned away towards a new droid beside Threepio for a long moment. Her voice sounded wet. “Why do you talk to him before me?”

“You know I’ve always talked to him...”

She turned back her eyes wet. “You married _me,_ Ani. I… I’m not sure I can... It seems I come last in your priorities.”

Panic warred with anger in Anakin. “I can’t be home much more, not until the war’s over and while I’m still a Knight.”

She rubbed her eyes. “It’s not the war, it’s not you being Jedi. It’s that our marriage, that I have no real partnership with my husband. We make all our choices as if we are not married, we come together briefly for a flash, but we don’t, you don’t, place me very high in your… personal life. I did not marry Sheev Palpatine, but you act more like you are married to him.”

“You’re jealous.” Anger stirred brighter.

“ _Of course, I am, Anakin!_ I didn’t marry Palpatine, when did you? Are we family? How can we make a family, when you go to an old man who is unmarried and not a Jedi before your wife? I’m starting to wonder if I am just a toy on some shelf to admire instead of a partner you are planning your future with.”

Gut churning, he returned to panic. “What do you want me to do, Padmé? I don’t want to leave with the war on. And if they find out they could call charges, lock me up, charge me as security risk…”

Now his wife sounded angry. “I am not as convinced of that happening. If the Senate is looking to remove self-determination of a semi-religious Order that is fighting and dying in his war, not much _c_ _ould_ happen if our secret is revealed.” She sighed. “What I _want_ you to do is make your wife more important in your life. I understand duty, because I had no time when I was Queen either. How will we build a future if we don’t plan together?”

“We talk, as often as I can get a channel.”

“How much talking have you already done with the Chancellor that he wants to override the Republic’s Generals over _t_ _his_ _?_ How much does he know about our personal relationship? This isn’t a Republic or even Senate level issue, but personal. We are the largest stakeholders in _our_ lives. I don’t like being jealous, but I _should be_ before his involvement in our lives.”

Anakin floundered a moment. “He’s always helped me, given me advice that Jedi don’t understand.”

“Maybe. I am not as convinced after knowing Obi-Wan’s grief after Master Jinn’s murder and Ms Tano...”

Growling, Anakin said, _“He_ didn’t stop that mess.”

“Neither did the Chancellor! He could have delayed the trial, he could have pardoned or commuted the sentence if he believed you about her innocence. You know I can’t always stop the greedy Senators or delegates like the Trade Federation as a single Senator. But democracies are slower, slower because even the poor have a chance to be heard. _You_ heard her and saved her. More executive or judicial speed would have...” Padmé took a breath and changed tacks. “The senate is churning so many bills and motions to work for the war effort, but too fast, without time to perceive the future consequences. I’m afraid they will get so frightened they will pass something unwise that hampers you and your troops like a manditory day of rest every fifth day, or cut medical supplies more because of shortages here.”

That made Anakin cringe, that Ashoka would have been executed on capture after her escape or the 501st going back under the longnecks’ disinterest in rehab. He wanted to protest that the Chancellor meant well, but he had _forgotten_ executive privileges from his own classes.

Hanging his head a little, Anakin found it hard to speak. “Yeah, he could have stopped that mess easy.”

Cupping his jaw, Padmé spoke softly. “I don’t _mind_ that you have friends. You are more like your Master than you realize, and that’s a good thing, Ani. He’s a good man, whatever mistakes he’s made. We all make mistakes. I just ask to become higher in your priority from now on.”

“But I don’t know how! I don’t really know what marriages are _supposed_ to look like.”

Those words sounded so young to Padmé. “My parents mentioned seeing a marriage counselor after the Trade Federation’s invasion. They were so frightened, the more they heard about events with the Jedi and Senate. I’d prefer to get a recommendation, but...”

“We can’t!” he whispered, face pale.

“You’re not the only one who can problem solve, Ani.” His wife grinned. “I quietly got a top of the line medical droid and got a counseling package. Would you be willing to enhance the security on it?”

Anakin looked over at the droid charging stand. “I wanna talk to it first.”

Padmé handed him the padd that she’d been reading. “Talk away.”

The droid’s eyes lit up after unplugging from power charging. “I am 3L1-ZA, human marriage relations, conversant in all the marriage customs from Alderaan to Zygerria.  I have additional expertise in military and security issues. Counseling questions must give honest answers to achieve best results… But first, do you trust each other?”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Yes, the droid is named for the MIT chatbot from the mid-60s. But this is a real counsellor expert AI.
> 
> Star Wars and its characters are the property of George Lucas and no infringement is intended nor profit made.


End file.
